Chiefly sermon notes of Miller, some correspondence, legal papers, and documents relating to the First Congregational Church, Kittery Point, Me., where he served as minister (ca. 1836-1841). Subjects include anti-slavery and temperance.

Scope and Content

The Rev. Tobias Ham Miller Papers primarily contain sermon notes from 1836-1868. The collection contains approximately 35 sermons, some with notes about where and when they were given. This includes his first sermon which he read before the Piscataqua Association in 1836 and ten other churches in the following two years. Thirty years later in 1868 Miller preached it again at Fremont and Atkinson churches. Many of the sermons are not dated and there are also several sermon fragments. With the exception of a few that are numbers and arranged chronologically, there is no discernable order to the sermon’s arrangement.

The collection also contains 13 letters to Miller dated 1840 to 1869, as well as his application for a ministerial license in 1836. There are three letters of recommendation for Miller (including one from the First Church in Kittery for Miller to join a “free church” in Portsmouth) and also one small manuscript volume of religious poetry.

Legal records in the collection include deeds to property in Portsmouth, Miller’s contract for editing the Gospel Teacher and Universalist Miscellany and agreements for the debts of Miller and Chadwick and for the press and type of William H. Foster. Also included are estate papers for Ruth Miller and John Moses, Miller’s guardianship of Bryon Hall and the estate of Elijah Hall, Abraham Meloon land deeds and quit claim, Elisha and Hannah Plaisted deeds, and Miller’s suit against Charles Plaisted. Miscellaneous papers include a land deed from Mark Simes to William Fernald for property in Durham, a dismissal of James Nowell from the North Church, a transfer of Narcissa Dwilley[?] to the free church, and an agreement of marital separation between Elizabeth and Thomas Foye. Printed miscellaneous includes a book ad, an elocution booklet, an American Press Association Address and Constitution, newspaper clippings, Dr. Dio Lewis Family School for Young Ladies Catalog, and a printed poem by Mary Miller. There is also a manuscript of stories by John H. Miller.

Biographical Notes

Tobias Ham Miller (August 10, 1801 to March 30, 1870) was known for being a printer, newspaper writer and publisher, bookstore owner, and Congregationalist minister. Miller was born in Portsmouth, the son of Ruth and John Miller. He attended the Woodbury Public School until the age of 13 when he was apprenticed as a printer, working for the Portsmouth Oracle, the Newburyport Herald and for the printing house of Wells and Lillie in Boston. In 1822 he returned to Portsmouth and ran a bookstore on Congress Street. With partner, Charles Brewster, he turned to newspaper publishing in 1825, publishing the Portsmouth Journal until 1835. In November 1825 he married Mary Moses (ca. 1806 to March 4, 1845). Miller had at least nine children: Edwin J. (1826-1854), James (1827-1891), Frank W. (1829-1880), Frances M. (b. 1830?), Thomas W. (1831?-1855), Susan E. (1833-1913), Israel Putnam (b. 1836?), John H. (1838-1887), and Mary E. B. (1841-1939).

Miller was licensed by the Piscataqua Association as a Congregationalist miniter in 1836 and in 1837 he was ordained as the pastor of the Kittery Point Congregational Church, from which he was dismissed in 1841. The Piscataqua Association disassociated him in 1847 after he embraced Universalism. He was an editor and writer for various religious, temperance, and anti-slavery publications including the New Hampshire Observer, The Carpet Bag, The Washingtonian, and The Teacher and Miscellany. In 1852 he became the chief feature writer for the Portsmouth Morning Chronicle under the name “Uncle Toby.”

After his wife Mary died March 4, 1845 he married first Mrs. Hannah H. Plaisted April 28, 1845 (see 1849 letter to Miller from Susan Christie) and second Mrs. Betsy (Nudd) Taylor.

Author John Lillard will present a talk about his new book "Playing War: Wargaming and U.S. Navy Preparations for World War II". The book explores wargaming at the Naval War College during the 20s and 30s, and how it helped the Navy prepare for the war against Japan.

Historic Portsmouth Chamber Music Series presents Jose Lezcano with String Ensemble. Guitarist Jose Lezcano, violinist Jennifer Elowitch, and members of the Portland Chamber Music Festival team up to play a program of music for guitar and strings. The program, "Mediterranean Muses & Iberian Images" includes works by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (his sunny and lyrical masterpiece, the Guitar Quintet), Luigi Boccherini (the exciting Fandango from his Quintet in D minor for guitar and strings), and a virtuoso Sonata Concertante for guitar and violin by Paganini. Lezcano will also present one of his compositions for guitar and strings, Mojito y Habano in a premiere performance.

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